HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) has issued a warning that families could see Child Benefit payments of around £108.20 a month ended if they do not take action by August 31. This follows reminder letters sent to about 1.5 million parents of 16-19 year-olds earlier this year.
Parents whose children receive GCSE, A Level, or Scottish results this month may need to update their Child Benefit claim if their teenager is staying in education or training. Currently, eligible families receive £27.05 a week for the first child and £17.90 a week for each additional child. For the 2026/2027 tax year, that amounts to £1,406.60 a year for the eldest or only child, and £930.80 a year for each additional child. So, for two eligible children, the total is £2,337.40.
Deadline and How to Act
If a child is staying in education after receiving results and parents fail to update their claim by the end of August, they could effectively lose £117.21 a month. HMRC said on social media, referring to Scottish results: “Has your child recently received their #SQA results? If they’re staying in education or training next year, you’ll need to update your Child Benefit claim on the HMRC app or online by 31 August. Don’t miss out on up to £1,406 a year.”
A Level results day in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland is on August 13, and GCSE results are on August 20. People can claim Child Benefit if they are responsible for a child under 16 years old, or under 20 years old and still in full-time non-advanced education or training.
Impact and Reminders
Child Benefit will automatically stop on August 31 on or after a child’s 16th birthday unless parents confirm their teenager’s plans. Around 1.5 million reminder letters were sent from late April, with most arriving in early May. Last year, 874,000 parents extended their claim, with more than half doing so online or through the HMRC app.
Myrtle Lloyd, HMRC’s Chief Customer Officer, said: "Child Benefit is a real financial boost for families, so if your teenager already knows they’re staying in education or training after their GCSEs or National 5s, you don’t need to wait for our letter. You can extend your Child Benefit claim today in minutes via the HMRC app or online at GOV.UK."
Eligibility and Additional Information
Child Benefit can continue for teenagers studying full time in non-advanced education or on unpaid approved training courses. Full-time education means more than an average of 12 hours a week of supervised study or course-related work experience, including home schooling. If a child has an illness or disability, they may be able to do fewer hours where appropriate.
HMRC added: "Parents only need to act if their teenager is starting a new course or qualifying training in September. Those already partway through a course previously notified to HMRC do not need to contact us."
If a Child Benefit claimant or their partner has an individual income between £60,000 and £80,000, the higher earner may be liable for the High Income Child Benefit Charge (HICBC). Parents can use the Child Benefit tax calculator on GOV.UK for an estimate and can pay the charge through their PAYE tax code or Self Assessment.
